Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Bars

A cakey cookie base is topped with pb cups, cheesecake filling, and topped with pb chips and chocolate! These Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Bars are easy to make and addicting!

I can’t even begin to tell you how many of my recipes are a result of trying to use up an ingredient in my fridge. I HATE wasting food, but I’m constantly buying something for a recipe and then only using part of it.

Ex: milk. I will buy milk to make muffins, and then I have an entire carton to use up! (TheBetterHalf and I both hate to drink milk).

So this recipe came about because I had exactly 5 oz of cream cheese to use up! And I conveniently had 3 king size packs of Reese’s peanut butter cups (I can’t resist things that are on sale). And thus, Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Bars were born!

These peanut butter cup cheesecake bars were a dangerous discovery. They are way too easy to make, and way too delicious! I kept going back for just one more bite…ok just one more little sliver – and suddenly half the pan was gone. Whoops!!

The bars are made in layers, like this:

On the bottom is a simple cake/cookie crust. It tastes like a sugar cookie but has a slightly cakier texture. It is the perfect crust for a bar like this, because it doesn’t crumble when you bite into it (the way oreo and graham cracker crusts can), but it is substantial enough to hold the peanut butter cup cheesecake mixture!

Next layer is the peanut butter cups! I used 9, but if you wanted to squeeze in 12 that would work too! I was going to use 12 but a little mouse (ahem TheBetterHalf) ate some of my Reese’s and I only had 9.

Then comes the cheesecake mixture, using exactly 5 oz of cream cheese! (Use the other 3 oz to make these!)

And then finally, top it all with some chopped chocolate and peanut butter chips, just to reinforce the peanut butter part of the peanut butter cup cheesecake bars!

A cakey cookie base is topped with pb cups, cheesecake filling, and topped with pb chips and chocolate! These Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Bars are easy to make and addicting!

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

5 tbsp butter, melted and slightly cooled

2 eggs

9 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

5 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup peanut butter chips

1/4 cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8inch baking pan with tin foil, leaving the ends hanging over the edges. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.

To prepare the cake/cookie layer: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Add in melted butter and stir to combine. Add in one of the eggs and mix well, using your hands if necessary. Press mixture evenly into prepared pan.

Lay the Reese's peanut butter cups evenly on the cake layer.

In a separate bowl, beat together cream cheese, one egg, powdered sugar, and vanilla until well combined. Pour over the Reese's, and spread gently with a spatula to cover. Sprinkle the peanut butter chips and chocolate over the cheesecake layer.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool before slicing.

Yep, I am always thinking up ways to use up the ‘bits and pieces’ in the kitchen. This weekend it was bananas. Literally, bananas. I made banana cupcakes (two ways) and banana chocolate chip cookies, and then I stopped myself!
I love peanut butter cups and these cheesecake bars are sure to be popular in our house!